BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1058
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1058 (Harman)
As Amended August 16, 2010
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :33-0
WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 11-0
APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Huffman, Fuller, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Conway, |
| |Anderson, Arambula, Tom | |Bradford, |
| |Berryhill, Blumenfield, | |Charles Calderon, Coto, |
| |Caballero, Fletcher, | |Davis, |
| |Bonnie Lowenthal, Salas, | |De Leon, Gatto, Hall, |
| |Yamada | |Harkey, Miller, Nielsen, |
| | | |Norby, Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Torlakson, Torrico |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Establishes an Upland Game Bird Account and a Big Game
Management Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund
(FGPF). Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes an Upland Game Bird Account (UGBA) within the
FGPF, and requires that all funds from the sale of upland game
bird validations and stamps be deposited in the UGBA to permit
separate accountability for the funds. Requires that funds in
the UGBA be available for expenditure, upon appropriation of
the Legislature, to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
solely for acquisitions, projects and programs to benefit
upland game bird species, to expand public hunting
opportunities and for related public outreach, including
enhancing upland game bird habitat.
2)Authorizes DFG to use funds in the UGBA for contracts or
grants to nonprofit organizations, including for related
habitat conservation projects, and for related reasonable
administrative and enforcement costs. Requires an advisory
committee, composed of nonprofit organizations representing
licensed hunters, to review and provide comments to DFG on all
proposed projects, and requires DFG to post information on its
Web site on all projects funded from the UGBA.
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3)Establishes a Big Game Management Account (BGMA) within the
FGPF, and requires that all revenues from the sale of
antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and sheep tags be
deposited in the BGMA to permit separate accountability for
the funds. Requires that funds in the BGMA be available for
expenditure, upon appropriation of the Legislature, to DFG
solely for acquisitions, projects and programs to benefit
antelope, elk, deer, wild pigs, bear, and sheep, to expand
public hunting opportunities, and for related public outreach.
4)Authorizes DFG to use funds in the BGMA for contracts or
grants to nonprofit organizations, including for related
habitat conservation projects, and for related reasonable
administrative and enforcement costs. Requires an advisory
committee, composed of nonprofits representing licensed
hunters, to review and provide comments to DFG on all proposed
projects, and requires DFG to post information on its Web site
on all projects funded from the BGMA.
EXISTING LAW :
1) Requires that revenues from the sale of upland game bird
stamps and hunting validations be deposited in the FGPF and
used to benefit upland game bird species and for related
hunting opportunities and public outreach. Requires DFG to
maintain internal accountability necessary to ensure
restrictions and requirements for expenditure of these funds
are met.
2) Requires that revenues from the sale of tags for the taking
of antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear and sheep be deposited
in the FGPF, and requires that revenues from the sales of tags
for each game species, with some exceptions, be used only for
programs related to that game species. Revenues from the sale
of deer tags are continuously appropriated for deer herd
management.
3) Requires the director of DFG and the Secretary of the
Natural Resources Agency, with DFG's annual budget submittal
to the Legislature, to submit a report on the fund condition
for all accounts and subaccounts within the FGPF.
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FISCAL EFFECT :
1)Minor, absorbable one-time costs to establish the UGBA and
BGMA accounts (FGPF).
2)Redirection of approximately $8.7 million in nondedicated
funds from the FGPF to the two subaccounts created by this
bill, of which about $7.2 million would go to the BGMA and
about $1.5 million to the UGBA.
3)Minor ongoing costs to DFG, likely less than $50,000 annually,
to administer funds and maintain required fund information on
its Web site (FGPF).
COMMENTS : This bill establishes a new consolidated BGMA within
the FGPF. Proceeds from the sale of tags to hunt antelope, elk,
deer, wild pig, bear and sheep would be deposited in the BGMA
and available, upon appropriation, for use for programs
benefiting these species. Currently, revenue from each of these
game species tag sales is deposited in the FGPF, but the law
requires that revenues from the sale of tags for each species be
used for expenditures related only to that species. The aim of
this bill is to both provide for better accounting by requiring
that the funds go into a consolidated BGMA, and to provide for
greater flexibility by allowing the pooling and use of these
revenues on projects of benefit to more than just one species.
This bill also authorizes DFG to use the funds for grants to
nonprofits, and requires an advisory committee, composed of
nonprofits representing licensed hunters, to advise DFG on all
proposed project expenditures.
This bill also creates in statute an UGBA. Current law requires
DFG to maintain the internal accountability necessary to ensure
that funds from the sale of upland game bird stamps are used for
programs, projects and acquisitions to benefit upland game bird
species and related hunting opportunities, but does not
specifically require that the funds be kept in a separate UGBA.
This bill also authorizes funds in the account to be used for
grants to nonprofit organizations, and requires an advisory
committee, composed of nonprofits representing licensed hunters,
to advise DFG on all proposed project expenditures.
The author states that this bill has been introduced to provide
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greater transparency, government accountability and oversight,
and to ensure that hunting license tag and stamp funds are used
to benefit game species and their habitats.
Supporters assert this bill will provide oversight to ensure
that revenues generated through hunting license tag and stamp
sales are spent for conservation of game species and their
habitats. Supporters cite a 2006 Legislative Analyst's Office
(LAO) report which found that DFG had been addressing shortfalls
in certain accounts within the FGPF by shifting funds to other
accounts, and as a result some dedicated funds were being used
for purposes not authorized by statute. According to the LAO,
DFG has taken steps since that report was released to address
those problems and to provide better accounting. Supporters
believe this bill will help to more fully address this problem
over the long-term, and ensure the funds are used for their
intended purposes by requiring DFG to consult with nonprofit
groups on proposed projects, while also giving DFG greater
flexibility by consolidating funds and allowing revenues to be
used to benefit all game species.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0006074